The morning of Friday (August 25th) was marked by a lot of enthusiasm and strong emotions in the rooms of the Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (ESMAT), which opened its doors to host the thematic rooms of the First National Meeting of Restorative Justice in Education.
During the discussions, a variety of dialogues and enriching experiences were developed in nine different rooms. On its last day, the meeting has already left its mark on those who attended it. Despite the varied themes, all the rooms focus on the search for the implementation of restorative practices in educational institutions, not only in the state of Tocantins, but throughout the country.
In each thematic room, a didactic and participatory approach was adopted. Through the conversation circles, the participants had the opportunity to share knowledge and reflect on the breadth and depth of the Restorative Justice in the educational sphere.
Room 1
"The (Potential) Promise of Restorative Justice in Education" brought valuable insights from Speaker Kathy Evans, with the support of Facilitator Vitor Ferreira Guimarães Martins. In testimony, Lawyer Bárbara Ruita Czapski, from the Superintendence of Education of the city of Palmas, presented her optimistic outlook:
"I had the opportunity to take part in some cycles in the state schools of the State of Tocantins, and it gave me a lot of hope. I didn't know about Restorative Justice, I learned about it recently and I thought it was incredible. I'm very hopeful that this can bring about an improvement in coexistence inside and outside schools", she commented.
Rooms 2 and 3
Eboni Rucker led the session on "Turning Conflicts into Opportunities for Growth". With the support of Facilitator Carla Regina Nunes dos Santos Reis, the participants explored how conflicts can be channeled into collective growth.
Speaker Leoberto Narciso Brancher and Facilitator Taynã Nunes Quixabeira talked to more than 40 participants about "Integrating Peacebuilding Circles into the Common National Curriculum Base (BNCC)".
Room 4 and 5
Addressing the connection between restorative practices and education, and showing how these approaches can complement each other to create a more inclusive educational environment, the talk of Josineide Gadelha Pamplona Medeiros, with the support of Facilitator Luanna Vargas Silva Labre, focused on "Restorative Justice and the Pedagogy of Autonomy: where do restorative and educational practices meet?".
Egberto de Almeida Penido and Sérgio Leal Mota discussed how the Restorative Justice can contribute to building a culture of peace in educational institutions, promoting values of respect and dialog.
Rooms 6 and 7
Catarina de Macedo Nogueira Lima and Facilitator Maria Silva de Moraes led the session on "The Importance of Volunteering to Implement Restorative Justice Projects in Education". The discussions revolved around the importance of volunteering for the successful implementation of Restorative Justice projects in education.
Under the guidance of Judge Antônio Dantas de Oliveira Junior and Facilitator Eliene Diniz da Silva, the theme on "Restorative Justice in Preventing School Dropouts" was explored by discussing the need to develop new restorative approaches as a factor in maintaining student engagement.
"In the 21st century, it is essential that there is a significant reduction in school dropouts in Brazil and that there is an end to this direct link between dropouts and imprisonment," said the Judge.
Rooms 8 and 9
The room "Planting Seeds of Justice: Restorative Approach in Early Childhood Education" was led by Roberto Portugal Bacelar and Facilitator Lorena da Cruz Neves. With the title "Uniting Voices and Belongings: Transforming Racial Conflicts in Educational Institutions", the participants in this thematic room discussed the importance of addressing racial issues constructively in educational institutions.
